Our integrated program focuses on the importance of cross-curricular learning. Cross-curricular learning is an approach to teaching in which knowledge and skills from various subject areas blend to create a wider understanding of topics and ideas.
To provide cross-curricular learning opportunities, students in our integrated program will engage in flexible scheduling for their core subject areas (language arts, math, social studies, and science). Students' schedules will change day-to-day to incorporate different types of learning (direct instruction, collaboration, and independent practice). Students will participate in teacher-directed mini lessons, teacher-and-peer-supported practice, and independent work sessions to make up their 4 hours of core instruction.
Our Academics
This year students will explore and become fluent in reading fiction, nonfiction, and poetry across the curriculum.
Literacy
Students will engage in writing workshops & review the writing process through writing assignments across multiple content areas.
Writing
The 6th grade curriculum focuses on the following five strands: Number and Number Sense; Computation and Estimation; Measurement and Geometry; Patterns, Functions and Algebra; and Probability and Statistics. 
Mathematics
Students will be introduced to the science of the Earth and beyond! Topics include watersheds, matter, weather, energy, and the solar system.
Science
Social Studies
Social studies will cover the time period from "discovery" to the Civil War. Students will examine history through reading, writing, and hands-on application.
Aquaponics
Teachers will blend hands-on aquaponics into their lessons, while students can schedule aquaponic activities into their collaborative and independent work sessions.
Grading Polices
Students will receive two types of marks for their core classes: a "Letter Grade" for their academic achievements and a "Qualities of a Learner" score for their learning behaviors. Students' scores in each category will be reported regularly on the online grade book.
Letter Grades:
Qualities of a Learner:
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Letter grades are used to assess a students' level of understanding of the Virginia state learning standards
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Students academic achievement grades (letter grades) will be a combination of formative and summative assessments​
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Formative assessments range from classroom activities, exit tickets, quizzes, and other evaluation used to influence instruction
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Summative assessments are generally large projects and/or tests that students will complete at the end of a unit of study
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For any graded assignment that is not handed in or is incomplete. students will receive no credit for the assignment and the assignment will be noted as "missing" (MIS) in the grade book until the assignment is turned in to the teacher
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If a student is still missing an assignment in the online grade book one week prior to the end of the unit, the grade will be entered as a zero
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Students will also be evaluated on their learning behaviors with a "Qualities of a Learner" score
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Behaviors such as participation, effort, classmate interaction, timeliness, etc. will be entered into the "QL" grading category
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Qualities of a Learner scoring categories are:
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Outstanding (O)
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Satisfactory (S)
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Needs Improvement (NI)
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Unsatisfactory (U)
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​These scores will be used to calculate a student's "effort" on interims and report cards
